RPT-UN disappointed by attack on Syria aid convoy, vows to keep trying to bring help

Reuters

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UNITED NATIONS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - U.N. humanitarian chiefValerie Amos expressed deep disappointment on Saturday after anaid convoy came under fire in a besieged rebel district of theSyrian city Homs, though she vowed to keep pushing to deliverhumanitarian assistance to Syria's neediest.

"I am deeply disappointed that the three-day humanitarianpause agreed between the parties to the conflict was brokentoday and aid workers deliberately targeted," Amos said in astatement.

"Today's events serve as a stark reminder of the dangersthat civilians and aid workers face every day across Syria," shesaid.

Saturday's attack threatened a United Nations-led operationto bring food and medicine to 2,500 people in Homs and evacuatecivilians trapped by months of fighting in the Syrian city.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) said mortar fire landedclose to its convoy and shots were fired at its trucks, woundingone of its drivers.

"I continue to call on those engaged in this brutal conflictto respect the humanitarian pause, ensure the protection ofcivilians and facilitate the safe delivery of aid," she said."The United Nations and our humanitarian partners will not bedeterred from doing the best we can to bring aid to thoseneeding our help."

Syrian authorities blamed the attacks on rebels butopposition activists said President Bashar al-Assad's forceswere responsible for them, as well as earlier mortar fire thatdelayed the start of the operation on Saturday morning.

The humanitarian deal for Homs was the first concrete resultof talks launched two weeks ago in Geneva to try to end thecountry's nearly three-year-old civil war that has killed over136,000 people.